China Cancels International Portion of Beijing Paralympic Torch Relay

Chinese organizers have canceled the international portion of the
Beijing Paralympic torch relay, and shortened the domestic legs.

Wednesday's
announcement comes after international legs of the Olympic torch relay
were plagued by violent protests against China's Tibet policy.

However,
organizers say the Paralympic relay route was changed because the
government is focusing on relief work following a deadly earthquake on
May 12. It killed 70,000 people and left millions displaced in
Sichuan province.

The first-ever international Paralympic
torch relay had been scheduled to visit upcoming Olympic host cities
London, England, Vancouver, Canada and Sochi, Russia as well as Hong
Kong before the September sixth to 17th Paralympics.

Four
Chinese cities, Chengdu, Chongqing, Urumqi and Tianjin, were also
removed from the original 16-stop schedule for the domestic relay.